Do I need a DAC?

I’m mainly using a new Macbook Pro with IEMs, my current IEM is a Fiio FH3. There is a benefit to using a DAC in this situation? And if yes, any recommendation?

If you get an external DAC then you will also need an amp or a DAC/amp combo. I would recommend looking into it. Computer on-board audio solutions can be quite lacking. How much are you looking to spend? The iFi Zen Dac (which is a DAC/amp combo) should be a good choice that doesn’t break the bank. There are of course countless other options out there like Schiit, Topping, SMSL, etc.

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I concur with @Wesley. The ZenDac is a great little dac/amp combo, and has SE and Balanced out options. I have one, it sounds great, is really well built for the price point it is at, and is a very solid piece of equipment with good power. Oh, almost forgot, that iFi Truebass can be really fun!

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Everyone who responds here is going to say yes. You came to the wrong place to save money.
The question for you is, are you satisfied with what you’re hearing? There must be a reason you ask.

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Everyone who responds here is going to say yes. You came to the wrong place to save money.
The question for you is, are you satisfied with what you’re hearing?

Fair response :sweat_smile:

Well, I like the sound of the FH3, but I feel that I’m missing some bass. I’ve installed an eq on my mac called eqMac but this thing is glitching sometimes and this is bothering me. But adding some boost at the bass makes the sound more enjoyable for me. And this leads me to the question of does this IEM sound better than it does at the moment? That’s why I started to look for a dedicated DAC.

For sure I’m not looking for an analytical signature, I want something warm and fun.

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Well the Zen DAC has a button called TrueBass which is a bass boost. Sounds like it might be a perfect match for you.

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I’ll offer the contrary opinion.
No you don’t “need” a DAC (but you should want one).

I’m currently running 6XX / iFi Zen CAN off the headphone output of my Dell XPS with surprisingly good results. Will a dedicated DAC improve sound quality further? Of course it will, but I’m fine with this set up until I find the right DAC.
In my case, the iFi Zen DAC makes no sense. Why add a second amp into the mix that I won’t use? I’m hoping that in the near future that iFi releases a companion dedicated DAC for the Zen CAN,
Maybe they’ll name it the Zen Amp? :thinking:

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